The Solace of the Sea
by WhatComesFromWithin
Summary: Will Solace had been ridiculed and mocked his whole life for being the only demigod at camp who couldn't fight to save his life. Literally. He had been through so much emotional turmoil throughout the years, he had lost his sense of self worth. Will's solace came in the form of the greatest hero Camp Half-Blood had ever seen. Percy/Will comfort. Solangelo.


**A/N: Hey, guys! I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed/followed/favorited my other stories. You guys make my day.**

 **This** **fan fiction is rated T for a reason. While it is a low T rating, it is T nonetheless. If anything makes you uncomfortable to read or could trigger you, then DON'T read it.**

 **Warning: This contains mentions of abuse. Nothing too graphic, but it plays a fairly big role in the story. Do not read if this could hurt you.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson books or any of the characters associated with it. All rights go to Rick Riordan.**

Will Solace was sitting alone on the fireworks beach. His boyfriend, Nico di Angelo, was off doing an errand for Hades. Will missed Nico, especially after such a bad day, but his boyfriend wouldn't be back until the following week. Nico had been there for Will on his bad days, but only on the bad days where he had lost a patient (which were _the worst_ of his bad days). But today was about him. Not how he had lost someone, but about who he was. Nico didn't know that Will went through these days of self-hatred, and Will didn't want him to find out. He was a little wary of the son of Hades' reaction.

These days didn't happen very often. The feelings were typically there, but they didn't usually become this prominent, this overwhelming. Will _never_ let these feelings show, so he had to seclude himself when these types of days came around. He planned it out perfectly- he chose the time of day when there were almost no patients in the infirmary, and when his siblings were asleep. He would take the night shift in the infirmary, and no one ever suspected anything. His patients were always asleep, whether willingly or after a _lot_ of arguing. He chose a location where it would be difficult to find him, but where he could hear any commotion a wounded camper would cause. Will had this process down. No one ever found him, and he was able to tamp down those negative emotions that bubbled up.

 _Ha! A son of Apollo who can't shoot an arrow to save his life. Literally. Who would have thought?_

Will grit his teeth as the memory entered his mind. The whispers had always followed him, and people were fools to think that he never heard what they said. Ever since he came to camp when he was six, other campers had talked about Will. How he couldn't fight, how he couldn't sing _or_ play an instrument, even how he couldn't save some campers from dying.

The thing was, all of it was true. Will couldn't do many of the things his siblings could. He was _terrible_ at Capture the Flag, always a burden to the team he was on. They had to find a job out of the way for him, and Will knew that they tried to make it sound really important, but it was easy to see through the facade. How could he not? He spent most of the game sitting on a rock, bow and quiver forgotten on the grass beside him, chin on his hand, thinking up injuries that other campers had probably gotten. He was usually pretty good at guessing- Connor and Travis did lots of running, whether it was from the enemy or to act as bait, so they most likely had sprained an ankle or pulled a muscle in their calf, maybe thigh. Percy and Jason were powerful on the offensive team, their swords practically an extension of their bodies, but neither fought with a shield very often. They probably had gashes along their arms and shoulders. As soon as the conch shell blew to signal the end of the game, Will would run back to the infirmary to take care of wounded campers.

As head counselor, he was expected to lead lots of campfire sing-alongs. But all he really did was introduce the song and which of his siblings would be singing it, before sitting down and singing along as enthusiastically as possible, ignoring the laughter, smirks, and occasional eyerolls thrown his way. He couldn't even play an instrument to help out his siblings. They had tried literally every instrument in existence, but Will was horrible at all of them. He tried to make up for his lack of talent with enthusiasm, but it didn't work.

Will was the best medic at camp. He knew that. It was the only one of his father's skills that he had inherited. Will poured his very soul into healing, so when he lost someone...it felt like he had lost another part of himself. Nico knew that much, and he was always there to remind Will of all the good things in the world. But with him gone, Will had a hard time keeping up his sunny persona. Losing patients hurt so many people. Their family, their friends. Will never let down one person, but a whole group of people he might not have even met, or ever will meet. He felt like such a failure, and when the words he was thinking to himself were voiced by someone- someone he had kept _alive_ \- it was hard not to accept them as the truth.

So Will was thinking of the horrible day he had had. He was at the archery range, trying in vain to hit the target. As he pulled back the string, he heard a couple of Ares kids whispering about him.

"Isn't he the head counselor of the Apollo Cabin?"

"Yeah, that's Will Solace,"

"But I thought Apollo was the god of archery,"

"He is."

"Then...why can't he hit the target?"

"...That's Will. All he does is heal."

"But we're demigods! We were born to fight. How is he supposed to defend himself in a battle if he can't use a weapon? Oh, wait. He uses a sword, doesn't he?"

"No, Will doesn't fight at all. Not even in battles."

"What? Why?"

"Because he'd die if he did. And we need someone to heal our soldiers, don't we?"

 _Because he'd die if he did._ And Will knew they were right. He _would_ die if he were placed on a battlefield. He had quickly gathered up his arrows after that, and hurried off to take one of his siblings' shifts in the infirmary.

In the infirmary he heard his patients talking about him. One was from the Aphrodite Cabin, Danielle, and the other two from the Demeter Cabin, Jean and Elise.

"What's Will doing working in here? Kayla told me it was his day off." Elise whispered to her friends.

"Elise, Will is _always_ working in the infirmary. There is no 'day off' for him," Jean whispered back.

"I must say," Danielle mused, "that I am quite enjoying the view. But I would be even more if it was Nico taking care of our wounds."

"Danielle! Leave the poor boy alone. The gods know he has plenty enough to worry about without you trying to make a move on him. Besides, Will and Nico are both gay and in a relationship with each other." Jean scolded her.

"I like to think I'm quite capable of making a gay guy straight for at _least_ a few weeks."

"Don't even try. Di Angelo will send you straight to the Fields of Punishment."

"Oh, please, Jean. After a little Aphrodite magic…"

"No!" Elise gasped. "No Aphrodite magic. Then Nico would _really_ kill you. And Will wouldn't even ask him to bring you back, and Nico would do _anything_ for Will."

Danielle huffed. "I don't get what Nico sees in Solace anyways. All he does is heal! I would understand the attraction if he was a fighter- the gods know Nico, Percy, and Jason look _hot_ when they're sparring- but he's not. At all. I would understand if he was a musician- when Austin played his saxophone for that Athena girl, it was _so_ romantic. But Will's not a musician. He can't even carry a note. I don't understand why he's with Will, honestly."

Both Demeter girls had merely shrugged.

Will had walked away.

He had left the infirmary, and found the sword fighting arena empty. Remembering Chiron's orders of practicing with weapons a couple times a week, just to see if he'd improve, Will decided to practice with the sword while there was no one else around.

Will picked up a sword that he _supposed_ felt balanced, and started swinging it. He was terrible at controlling it, and his swings went wide, completely missing the dummy he was practicing on. Weapons just didn't feel _right_ in Will's hands. It made him uncomfortable, wielding something that would hurt someone. He didn't like it.

He had been swinging and blocking uselessly for about an hour when he heard a whistle. Turning around, he saw Kenneth from the Aphrodite Cabin. Kenneth was one of the few sons of the love goddess who could fight, and fight _well_. He was known around camp as gifted with the sword. Sure, he wasn't nearly as good as the sons of the Big Three, but he rivaled just about any camper in the Ares and Athena cabins. He was tall, with forest green eyes that contained brown and gold specks and casually styled dark hair the color of mahogany. Kenneth and Will had...history.

"Hello, Sun Ray," Kenneth said. "I've got to say, I didn't expect to find you here,"

Will wasn't in the mood for his Aphrodite charm. "Don't call me that, Kenneth. Those days are over. They have been for a long time."

Kenneth crossed the room until he stood in front of Will. "Aw, c'mon now, handsome. Don't be like that. What we had was...special. Don't you remember?"

Kenneth kept getting closer and closer to Will, until Will was backed up against the wall. "We had something until you turned into a jerk and started bullying younger campers, including my siblings. You don't get to hurt them."

Kenneth easily took the hilt of the sword from Will's hand and threw it across the arena. Will got nervous. "I admit it, Will- I made a mistake. But everyone makes mistakes. Give me another chance. We were happy, Will-"

"No, we weren't," Will snapped. Kenneth was slightly taller than him, and a _lot_ stronger. Will worked out, but he had nothing compared to the sword fighters at camp. "You made me think that I was happy, but I wasn't. _Nico_ makes me happy. _Nico_ is my boyfriend. _Nico_ is-"

A hand was clapped firmly against his mouth. "No," Kenneth hissed. "Nico doesn't get you. You're _mine_ , Will, which is something you never seemed to fully grasp." Kenneth still had one hand on Will's mouth, but slipped the other one around Will's torso so that it was planted securely on the small of Will's back. Kenneth put his lips against Will's ear and growled hungrily, "You're _mine_ , Will. All _mine_."

Will started trying to twist out of Kenneth's grip, but Kenneth pulled Will flush against his body, using the arm that was wrapped around Will's back. Will struggled, but he wasn't strong enough to shake off Kenneth, especially when he moved Will's head so that his mouth was against his shoulder and he pinned Will's arms against his sides. "Don't fight it, beautiful. The Fates entwined our strings for a reason. They want us together. Why fight fate, Will? Why deny the inevitable?"

"We are _not_ fated to be together!" Will said, but his voice was muffled, as it was still pinned between Kenneth's shoulder and the wall. Will couldn't see it, but he felt a pair of warm lips ghost over his neck, pressing kisses against his skin. Will tried to call out, but Kenneth's shoulder muffled all noise. It brought back painful memories. Everyone at camp knew that Will and Kenneth had dated, but no one knew what their relationship had consisted of.

Kenneth had been Will's first boyfriend. Will was still hurting from the deaths of Lee and Michael, and from the words of other campers. He was crushed by the combined responsibility of being the head counselor of the Apollo Cabin and of being the head of the infirmary. Will's relationship with his mother had never been good, and that summer it was much worse than usual. Then Kenneth entered Will's life. The son of Aphrodite was an amazing fighter, something Will had given up hope of ever being. Kenneth was two years older than Will and irresistibly attractive. So when Kenneth had started looking at Will, had started giving him lingering touches, had requested that Will healed him whenever he got hurt- Will got excited. No one had ever really paid so much attention to him. So when Kenneth asked him to be his boyfriend, Will enthusiastically agreed.

Kenneth would often take Will to secluded areas to kiss him. He convinced Will that he was happy, that Will was feeling what everyone in a good relationship felt. And Will had believed him. No one had ever loved him the way Kenneth convinced him he was loving him. So he let Kenneth kiss him, and sometimes he kissed him back. But then Kenneth had started to kiss him more passionately. Will had told him to stop, gasping, trying to push Kenneth away. They were in the forest that day. Kenneth hit him across the cheek and told Will, " _You're mine,_ " Then Kenneth pinned him against a tree and told him that if he ever told _anyone_ , Will would get hurt.

Will was terrified. He was confused. What had he done? Why was this happening? He didn't know what to do. So he continued to meet Kenneth in the woods. The son of Aphrodite would tell him how precious he was one day, then tell him that he was cowardly and undeserving the next. It severely damaged Will's self-image. He didn't know what he needed to change. He had thought that what was happening to him was his fault, and that was perhaps the scariest part of that situation. Kenneth basically had Will on a tight leash, and he knew it.

Will grew more and more afraid as the weeks dragged on. He started to dread seeing Kenneth, would do anything to avoid his gaze in crowds. Then one day, Kenneth gave Will an opening.

Kenneth was sneering and insulting some of the younger campers, most of them new, in front of the majority of the camp. A couple of Will's siblings had been among those that Kenneth was berating. When Will saw, he broke up with the demigod in front of the camp, using his siblings as an excuse. Maybe it was selfish, but the way Will looked at it, he was killing two birds with one stone. By doing it in front of the whole camp, Kenneth couldn't threaten him. And because Will hadn't told anyone about what Kenneth did to him, he couldn't hurt Will, either.

Then the war with Gaea happened, and Will hadn't forgotten about what Kenneth had done to him, but it had lost some of its power over him. Soon afterwards, Will started dating Nico.

Now it was like all of that hadn't happened. Kenneth was kissing his ear now, his jaw, the corner of his eye, the top of his head, the corner of Will's mouth-

And suddenly Kenneth wasn't trapping Will at all. This time Kenneth was pressed against the wall, the point of a sword pressing into his throat. And holding the hilt was Percy Jackson.

"What," Percy demanded. "Do you think you're doing?"

Kenneth glowered at him. "Get off me, Jackson."

Percy pressed the tip of his sword harder against Kenneth's neck. "What. Are. You. Doing?"

When Kenneth merely continued to snarl at Percy, he turned to Will. "Will, what just happened? Who's this guy?"

Will opened his mouth to answer, but caught Kenneth's eye. Those green eyes reminded Will of his threat, and Will's mouth went dry. He felt frozen.

"Will?" Percy prodded.

Will shook his head quickly, freeing himself from the trance he had been in. "That's just Kenneth, Percy. Son of Aphrodite. He was helping me with...hand-to-hand combat." Will flashed his signature smile.

Percy didn't look convinced, but he took his sword away from Kenneth's throat. Will noticed he didn't apologize.

"Now," Kenneth said, turning to look at Will as he smoothed out nonexistent wrinkles in his shirt, "Let's continue this in the woods, Will. So we won't have people pointing swords at our chests." He glared at Percy as he said the last part.

Will's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Uh, sorry, Kenneth, but I can't. It's my turn to take care of the infirmary tonight, and dinner is in a couple minutes, so I have to gather up my siblings." Then Will turned around and walked out of the sword arena as quickly as he could without it seeming suspicious.

Will avoided looking at the Aphrodite and the Poseidon table during dinner. He managed to keep up his happy facade throughout the meal and while he put his siblings to bed. As soon as they were all asleep, he had visited the infirmary to make sure all his patients were stable and asleep. Once they were, he had escaped to the beach, where he was now.

Will felt a tear slide down his cheek. He brushed it away furiously. He didn't know why he felt so upset over this. It was nothing he wasn't used to, after all. But still, it hurt. He _was_ a coward. He couldn't defend himself in a fight, much less someone else. He didn't have any of the talents his siblings had. He was altogether useless as a demigod. For Zeus' sake, he couldn't even wrench himself from Kenneth's grasp this afternoon. Will grit his teeth. He would never be good enough. Danielle was right- Nico shouldn't be with someone like him. Will didn't understand what Nico saw in him, either. Should he...should he break up with Nico? It would kill him, but if it would make Nico happier in the long run, it would be worth every tear filled night, every pang of anguish. As long as Nico was happy.

Maybe Kenneth was right. Maybe the Fates meant for Will to be with Kenneth, as horrible as he was.

 _Why fight fate, Will?_

"Hey, man,"

Will whipped around, eyes wide. Percy was standing behind him, looking awkward but determined. "Percy? W-what are you doing here?"

Percy walked over to Will and sat down beside him before answering. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier. I've been looking all over camp for you."

Will panicked. "You didn't wake up Kayla and Austin, did you?"

Percy held up his hands defensively. "Just to ask where you were. They told me to check the infirmary, and you weren't there, so I looked around the rest of camp. I didn't tell them that you weren't there, if that's what you're so worried about."

Will relaxed. "Good,"

Percy was quiet for a moment. Then he turned his sea green gaze onto Will and asked, "What really happened earlier, Will? I know that you and that guy weren't practicing any kind of combat." His eyes growing sad, Percy said, "You were struggling. And when I asked you what was going on, you looked at Kenneth, and you looked afraid. I've seen too much not to know that. And Will...I've seen that expression on my mom. Back when I didn't know I was a demigod. She looked at my step-father like that. And he abused her. Did Kenneth- does he...hurt you?"

Will was silent.

Next to him, Percy sighed. He put a strong hand on Will's shoulder, and Will flinched from the unexpected touch. "Will, it's important that you tell someone. I want to help. Please."

Will took a shuddering breath. "Right before the war with Gaea...when you had disappeared. I was still mourning Michael and L-Lee. Kenneth was my first boyfriend. It was nice, at first. A distraction from everyone else. He told me...nice things. Things I don't usually hear about myself. Kenneth made me think I felt happy, but I know now that I never was with him. He told me that that was what everyone did in a relationship. I had nothing else to compare it to, and I believed him. I thought, 'He's a son of Aphrodite. How could he not know?'" Will was shaking. His eyes were watering, and his voice was wavering. He didn't know why he was telling Percy, of all people, this. But he was. And now that he had started, he couldn't stop. "He'd take me into the woods at night and kiss me. He's always been so much stronger than me, Percy, and I couldn't get away. Back then I didn't know that I _needed_ to get away. I didn't know what it felt like to be in a relationship- any kind of relationship, really. My mom and I were never close. She always resented Apollo for leaving her with a kid, especially considering her career. She's a musician; I attracted a lot of unwanted rumours. I came to camp when I was six. Lee and Michael raised me, honestly. We all discovered pretty quickly that I didn't inherit most of Dad's abilities. It took a long time for us to discover that I was a healer because we don't let kids into the infirmary until they're a certain age. I was always scorned for being a demigod who couldn't fight. Lee and Michael were the only solace I had. Then they died. Suddenly _I_ was head counselor, and I felt so unprepared. I had no idea what to do. My brothers were gone, and I suddenly was responsible for all of my siblings. Kenneth knew how to play my emotions, I guess. He convinced me that I was happy. I hadn't been happy in so long that I actually believed him.

"He'd tell me to meet him in the forest, and I would. It seemed so normal. When kisses got more passionate, I got nervous. I- I told him to stop one night and- he hit me. I guess I was shocked. And confused. He told me that if I ever told anyone what happened between us, he'd hurt me again." Will swallowed. "I kept coming back. He had me on a leash, and he knew it. I was his. He called me his. That should have sent up red flags if nothing else did, but I didn't know what to expect from a relationship. He was the only one since Lee and Michael died that looked at me like I wasn't worthless, and I didn't want that to stop. Then it did. I don't remember what triggered it, but he started yelling and cursing at me, telling me how lucky I was that I was his. I think the worst part was that I thought he was right. I thought I did something wrong each time he threw blows my way, verbal and physical. I dreaded seeing him, but I didn't know what he would do if I didn't show up. I think eventually I realised that I wasn't happy, and I started trying to look for a way to get away from him. Eventually I used my siblings as an excuse. He was bullying a few of the younger campers in front of the camp, and some of them were my siblings. I broke up with him publicly, and he couldn't do anything without everyone finding out. I had no reason to go anywhere alone with him anymore, and things got better." He smiled a thin smile. "Especially when I started dating Nico."

" _Will_ ," Percy breathed. "Will, I had _no idea_."

Will turned to look back at him. "No one does."

"So...today," Percy began. "Was Kenneth...did he…?"

Will's heart plummeted again. "He cornered me. Pinned me between him and the wall. Kissed me, used possessive words again. Nothing new," he added in a whisper.

"How far did it get?" Percy asked angrily.

"You stopped it pretty soon after it started today. Before, it never got more than passionate kissing, maybe a little making out. I think he knew that it would scare me away faster if he went any further than that. I meant nothing to him. I was like his _possession_."

"Why did he do it after so long?"

Will shrugged. "I guess his pride was severely wounded. Maybe he just wanted to use someone again. I think he chose today because the war is finally over, and Nico is away on an errand for Hades, so he doesn't have to fear Nico's wrath."

"I guess you need Nico just as much as he needs you, huh?"

Will snorted. "Nico doesn't need me. I don't why he's with me, honestly."

Percy's sea green eyes widened. "Are you serious? Will, Nico is genuinely happy around you. Happier than I've ever seen him around anyone." Percy suddenly grinned. "You should hear him when he's with me and Jason. He can't shut up about you. It's always, ' _Will's been holed up in the infirmary_ all day _. I wish people would stop letting the idiot overwork himself,'_ or ' _If that Aphrodite girl doesn't stop drooling over Will, I'm sending her straight to the Fields of Punishment.'_ And that's when he's not telling us about how lucky he is to be your boyfriend, or how much he thinks _he_ doesn't deserve _you_."

Will was shocked. Nico liked him that much? Well, Will knew that Nico liked him, he just didn't know that Nico felt undeserving of him. "I guess we do need each other," he whispered.

"Will," Percy said tentatively. "What did you mean when you said that Kenneth was the only one who didn't make you feel useless?"

Will glanced at the son of Poseidon, slightly confused. "I didn't inherit any of my father's abilities," he said flatly. "And I can't fight to save my life, quite literally. All I can do is heal people, and even then I can't always save them."

Now Percy looked confused. "But you've healed, like, everyone in this camp."

"Yeah, so?"

"So why get hung up over the few you can't save?"

Will got frustrated. "Because it's the only thing I can do. When I fail to save someone's life, I hurt so many people. I fail so many people at once. Change so many lives. _Ruin_ so many lives."

Percy looked at him thoughtfully. "I can see how you could think that. But think of the hundreds of demigods you _have_ saved. You saved Annabeth-"

"But I couldn't save Silena, Lee, Michael, Castor, or any of the others who died in the war." Will snapped. "So many lives were riding on me, and I failed _so many_ of them."

"But no one blames you for that," Percy protested.

"That's where you're wrong," Will told him. "I've had plenty of people come up to me, demanding why I didn't do all I could to save someone, why I let them die. As if I purposefully let them die."

" _What_?" Percy said. He looked outraged. "You're not serious,"

"I'm completely serious. Do you have any idea how many deaths I've been blamed for? How many times someone told me I was a failure? How often I hear people whispering about how useless I am behind my back? I've been hearing those words ever since I was _six_. And they've never stopped." Will said the last part softly, defeat evident in his voice.

"Will," Percy said. "Will, you're _not_ to blame for anyone's death. If you're to blame, then I'm to blame for sending them into the battle in the first place. And if I'm to blame, then Chiron's to blame for not preparing them better. We're only human, Will. And I guarantee you that not a single demigod will blame you for their death. As for the music thing, well, music will only get a demigod so far in life. Sure, it provides great entertainment, it will open the doors to the Underworld, and it might- if you're lucky- appease a god. But in the long run, it won't help that much. There are other ways into the Underworld. There are other ways to please our parents. Besides, that whistle thing you can do is _way_ more impressive. Trust me. Healing people is a gift very few possess, and you're the best healer this camp has ever had. You heal people not only physically, but spiritually. You're a blessing, Will, and don't you dare forget it."

Will's eyes stung. "Thank you, Percy," he murmured.

Percy smiled at him. "Anytime, dude. And for what it's worth, I've always admired you." Will's head snapped up. "You always know how to keep cool in dire circumstances, and you're really amazing at what you do. We need healers just as much as soldiers, and you're the best. The way you took care of Annabeth...Well, I've never forgotten it. You're a great guy, Solace, and you don't need any jerks to drag you down." Percy paused and then added. "Seriously though, dude, you scared me today. Right after Kenneth, you smiled so easily. I guess it made me realise that you probably needed someone to be there for you, too. So any time you need to talk, just come and find me, alright?"

Will nodded gratefully. "Thanks,"

Percy stood up, but before he walked away, he said, "I think you and Nico should talk to each other about this. It sounds like you guys are a little afraid to open up, which is perfectly normal, but also one of the disadvantages of not being able to bond in life-or-death situations. Sometimes I think questing with Annabeth is the only reason we're together."

Will laughed. "I might just take your advice."

Percy smiled at Will. "Glad to help a friend," And with that, Perseus Jackson headed back to his cabin.

Will stared at the waves lapping the shore. Once Nico came back, he would tell him everything.

* * *

Will was sitting in his cabin. For once, it was empty. He was staring at the wall, having been (rather rudely) forced out of the infirmary. Then the door opened. Will refused to acknowledge whichever one of his siblings it was, simply because he was _not_ overworking himself. Honestly, he didn't know where they got those ridiculous notions from.

"Hey, Sunshine," a voice called softly.

Will's head snapped toward the door. Nico was back. It filled Will with happiness, but also slight apprehension when he thought of what he promised himself he'd tell his boyfriend.

Nico looked happy to see Will, but he also looked sad. Will felt his smile dim a little. Nico walked over and sat down on the bed next to Will. "I heard you had a rough time while I was gone," Nico began. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Will didn't meet his eyes, but he nodded. "I think I should," he said softly.

Nico waited for him to start talking. Will was about to tell him, but then he asked, "Do you ever feel..I don't know...like you're supposed to be something you're not?"

Nico looked at him curiously, but nodded in answer. "Yeah. Do you feel that way?" Nico ventured.

Will nodded miserably. "Yes. For years. It got kind of overwhelming when you were gone. I guess...I guess you make me feel really- I don't know, good? That's not the right word,"

Nico put his hand on Will's knee. "I make you feel valuable?" he suggested.

"Yes!" Will said.

"Good," Nico said. "Because you _are_ valuable to me."

Will rested his head against Nico's shoulder. "I've never felt valuable before. With you gone, all the negative stuff people say about how I should be able to fight or be able to save more people really got to me."

Nico huffed. "Close-minded idiots," he muttered darkly. "Will, you're braver than most of the demigods in this camp. It takes bravery to fight an opponent, but it takes a great amount of it to dash onto the danger zone to rescue someone with no weapon, no regard for your own life. Never listen to anyone who tells you otherwise." Nico ran his finger through Will's golden curls. "You're important. Most of all to me."

Will was warmed by Nico's sincere words, but he had to tell him. If he didn't do it now, he never would. "There's something else," He said.

Nico hummed, signifying that he was listening. Will took a deep breath. "Do you know Kenneth from the Aphrodite Cabin?"

"That stuck up jerk who's always staring at you in a creepy stalker way? Yeah, why? Is he giving you trouble?"

"Well...he was my first boyfriend."

Nico started laughing. "You're kidding! You really dated him?"

"Yeah," Will whispered. Sensing that something was wrong, Nico ceased laughing. Then Will told him everything- what Kenneth had done to him, how he had messed with Will's head, how he had played his emotions, and how he thought that he owned Will. Will watched Nico's face as he spoke. Nico was shocked, horrified, angry, and pained. He looked as though he had gone through Will's pain himself. Will realised that maybe Nico really did feel Will's pain. He also realised how much he cared for the demigod in front of him.

He finished talking, and Nico took a deep breath before speaking. "First of all, I want to tell you that I would _never_ , under _any_ circumstances, do that to you. I love _you_ , not what you could make me feel or what I could use you for. Secondly, he will never do that to you. Never again. I swear it. If I have to borrow some souls from the Underworld to help me keep that promise, then so be it. I also want you to know that you...Will, you're worth more to me than anything and anyone else in my life. I stand by what I said earlier- you're brave, you're valuable, you're talented. And Will?" Nico looked at him with such affection in his onyx eyes. In a way that Kenneth never did. "You're irreplaceable."

So many emotions were swirling through Will right then, but all he could think to say was, "I love you, too."

Nico's lips curled up into a smile, and he slid closer to Will. "Can I kiss you, Sunshine?"

Will looked at his incredible boyfriend. "You? Anytime,"

Nico gently cupped Will's cheek. He brought his mouth up to connect to Will's, and that one kiss resonated with love, not lust. It wasn't the first time he had kissed Nico, but this kiss meant more than some of their others had. Not because it was nicer, or more passionate. They worked their mouths the same way they always did- sweetly, lovingly. This kiss was different because it was more understanding. They had a better sense of each other now, and they were able to communicate that in their kiss. Will was glad he told Nico. He didn't think he'd be able to feel so loved and or to love as much as he did in that moment if Nico didn't know. Thanks, Percy.

* * *

The next day, Kenneth wasn't found at camp. He turned up in the early hours of the next morning, disheveled and bleeding in multiple places, screaming about rolling boulders up hills and running through a patch of cacti. He had also inexplicably developed a fear of the dark and skeletons. And it just so happened that Nico had planned a date with Will at the exact time that Kenneth was admitted into the infirmary.

* * *

Will was sitting on the docks, alone, when Percy came up to him. Sitting down he said, "So, how'd everything work out with Nico?"

Will smiled at him. "Much better than I imagined. Thanks, by the way. I don't think I'd be able to feel the way I do if it wasn't for your advice."

Percy shrugged. "No problem, man. I've made every mistake possible in a relationship, so I'm glad to be able to pass out helpful hints. I stand by what I said earlier, though. Nothing fixes communication problems like a quest."

Will laughed. "I not sorry to say that I don't think Nico and I will be going on a quest anytime soon."

Percy shuddered, but he was still smiling. "And I hope none of us will have to go on a quest again, preferably not for another lifetime or so." Grinning like the Chesire Cat, Percy said, "So...has Nico told you anything particularly...sappy, lately?"

Will raised an eyebrow. "Uh, no. Nico's not really the sappy type."

"Not even anything about...I don't know...love as strong as death is inevitable?"

Will started to grin right back. "No, he hasn't. Tell me, what else has he failed to mention?"

They were (rather rudely, in Will's opinion) interrupted by a yell of, "JACKSON!" and an army of skeletons brandishing their weapons and chasing after Percy, who had started sprinting away from the lake.

Will yelled back, "Hey! What did I say about using Underworld-y powers, Death Boy? I said they were off-limits!"

* * *

"That's good! Defend your left- yes!"

Percy was helping Will practice sword fighting. The mechanical dummy Will was sparring with was designed by the Hephaestus Cabin. Will was still abominable at sword fighting, but at least he knew some basic sword techniques to help him out in a pinch now.

Will was biting his lip as he concentrated. He had taken off his shirt sometime ago in an effort to cool off. His tan skin gleamed with sweat.

As Will parried a blow, he tripped. He fell to the floor, the breath momentarily knocked out of him. Percy turned off the dummy and turned to help Will back up. Just as Percy extended his hand, Will heard laughing coming from behind him. He turned his head as he accepted Percy's hand and got up. Will saw three burly Ares campers and a few Athena campers snickering and miming him falling. Used to things like this happening, Will pushed back the slight pang in his heart and looked back at Percy so that they could continue. But Percy was looking at the laughing campers with shock and disbelief etched on his face. Will thought he even detected a trace of anger in his sea green eyes.

Clenching his jaw, Percy took a couple of steps forward until he stood in the center of the arena. He called out to the group, " _What_ do you think you're doing?"

One of the Athena campers- Will thought his name was Shawn- rolled his eyes in an amused way. "C'mon, Jackson. That dummy was on the easiest setting and Solace has been training- well, _trying_ to train- for nine years now. And he still tripped over his feet! Don't tell me you didn't think that was funny."

A vein was popping in the son of Poseidon's jaw. Yeah, there was _definitely_ some anger in Percy's stare. He took a threatening step forward. "No, I don't. Who cares what level that dummy was on, or how long he's been training? Will knows where his strengths lie, and even though they're not fighting, he continues to practice. When's the last time _you_ guys fought in the arena? It's been a couple months, hasn't it? You think you know everything there is to defending yourself with a sword, think that you've trained all you need to. But you're all out of practice. That's almost more dangerous than going into a battle with no idea what to do. You'll get close enough for one-on-one combat with a monster, thinking that it'll be easy, only to realize that you're not as good as you once were. That eureka moment? That could be the cause of your death.

"We need our soldiers to practice like Will does. He falls, gets back up, and tries again. I've seen some of you whine about muscles cramping or your opponent cheating just to save your pride. You should all follow his example."

Will was too shocked to say or do anything.

Undettered, one Ares camper- Andrew?- said, "Yeah, okay, he has stamina. But that doesn't change the fact that he's weak. What kind of demigod can't fight? A coward."

Will looked at the floor.

Percy's rage seemed to explode. " _Coward_? Will is anything but a coward! He runs onto the battlefield with no thoughts about his own safety, to help save wounded soldiers from _dying_. He gets right into the blood and gore, not even blinking an eye at the most gruesome injuries. It takes a lot of courage to run onto a battlefield to help save someone else and know that you might not live to make it back to the safety. Will is the best combat medic at camp for a reason. And I won't stand to hear someone speak with such disrespect toward him. Everyone at this camp has earned their rank, and he has earned his, fifty times over. I'll be fighting you with a sword the next time I hear you say something like that again."

Across the arena, a shout sounded. Whipping around, Will saw Clarisse, clutching a deep gash on her leg. Some Hecate camper stood over her, apologizing profusely.

Will sprang into action. He ran toward Clarisse and knelt down beside her. "Can you stand on your own?" he asked her.

She tried to put her weight on it, but her face turned white and she pressed her lips together in pain. Still, she attempted standing up again.

Will pushed on her shoulder. "No, let me get someone to help you,"

Clarisse snarled at him. Waving her sword at him, she said, "I don't need your help, Solace, or anyone else's. I can do this. I don't even need to go to the infirmary."

Will glared at her. "That's ridiculous and you know it. Now, put the sword down so I can help you stand up."

She pointed it at his chest. "I'll fight you with this," Clarisse warned.

Before she could say anything else, Will quickly disarmed her. He shoved his shoulder under her's, wrapping an arm around her torso and standing up. "C'mon. Let's get that leg checked out. That gash is deep- you might have torn a muscle."

Clarisse looked at Will, shocked. "How...how did you-"

Will shook his head. "Enough talking; we need to get you to the infirmary,"

"But you didn't even have a weapon!" Clarisse cried as she leaned on Will for support as they made their way to the infirmary.

"So?" Will asked. "Do you have any idea how often I have to disarm patients? This is a camp for demigods, for the gods' sakes."

"Dude, that was some _amazing_ disarming you did there," Percy had caught up to them. "Do you seriously do all that in the infirmary?"

"Yeah," Will said. "Campers think they're _so_ tough, insist that they don't need any medical treatment, and start waving their weapons around. It makes it nearly impossible to strap someone to a gurney. So I disarm them without a weapon. If used a weapon, their pain addled minds would see that as a challenge."

Percy let out a low whistle. "Can you do that when facing a monster?"

They were almost at the infirmary. "If I got close enough, yeah. But monsters tend to have their wits about them. And they don't let you get close enough for that kind of disarming. We're here,"

Will set Clarisse down on a bed and went to fetch some ambrosia, bandages, and antiseptic. "The ambrosia should take care of any internal damage, which I'm assuming there isn't much of. I'm going to wash out the wound with antiseptic, and then I'll wrap your leg in bandages. Any questions?"

Clarisse merely grumbled, and Will got to work.

When he was finished, he used the back of his arm to wipe his brow. "There," he told Clarisse. "You're free to go,"

Mumbling her thanks, she left. Will sat down at his desk and began to do paperwork. If he was in here, he might as well get something done.

He had been working for a few hours when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his torso. "How long have you been working?" Nico's voice asked.

Smiling, Will tilted his head up at him. "I don't know- but I'd welcome a break,"

Smirking, Nico leaned down and pecked him on the lips. "You know, Will, you're currently the envy of the camp. Everyone wants to know how to disarm an angry and wounded Clarisse without a weapon."

"Well, it's fairly easy. All you have to do is wound her, which will make her mad, and then you disarm her without getting killed."

Nico laughed. "Let's go to dinner, Sunshine. I'm starving."

Will looked at Nico and grinned a grin that rivaled the brilliance of the sun. Or at least that's how bright Percy had said Nico said his smiles were. "I'd love to get something to eat with you, Death Boy,"

As Will and Nico headed to the entrance to the infirmary, Nico said, "I love you, you know. I really do."

Will pressed a gentle kiss to Nico's forehead and replied, "I know. I believe you. And I love you, too."

As they walked to dinner, Will silently thanked Percy for his encouraging words and for standing up for him. He also thanked Zeus that he had been able to open up to Nico without the aid of a quest.

 **A/N: Thank you for reading!**


End file.
